New strategy and PR job at Lewisham Council - with up to £100k salary

A new top PR and strategy job has opened up at Lewisham Council to support the Mayor Damien Egan – with a salary of up to £100k.

Lewisham Council is advertising for an assistant director of strategy and communications – a “new role to support the Mayor in realising his ambitions for the borough,” according to the job posting.

The job also encompasses the currently-vacant head of strategy, which has responsibility for the communications functions at the council.

Assessments for the role are taking place in two weeks’ time, with the council looking for an “outstanding individual” to “improve the economic, social and environmental well-being” of residents.

The successful candidate will manage the mayor and cabinet office, have responsibility for the communications team, and develop corporate strategies.

A Lewisham Council spokesperson said their job would include running the council website, producing the council’s quarterly magazine Lewisham Life, running campaigns and responding to the media.

They said the salary was in line with industry standards.

“Communicating effectively with our residents is very important for the council.

“Good communications informs and engages residents on all aspects of the council’s work.

“Key activities include running the council website, producing Lewisham Life, the quarterly residents’ magazine, running communications campaigns that save money and responding to the media,” they said.

“The assistant director, strategy and communications is a senior post that was externally graded to ensure salary is commensurate with the role,” they added.

Mr Egan is also allocated his own political assistant on a salary of between £30,840 and £34,986 to provide political, communications and administrative support.

Lewisham Council also employs 10 full-time marketing, communications and PR staff at an annual cost of £366,150 in 2018, according to information obtained via a freedom of information request.

This is a drop from the 14 staff employed in 2017, at an annual cost of £475,554.

In 2016, there were 12 full-time employees in communications, PR and marketing at an annual cost of £455,000.

The size of the Lewisham communications team is 30 per cent smaller than the London average.

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